The Big Green lightweight and heavyweight crew teams will wrap up the 2013 season at the 111th IRA National Championship held on Lake Natoma in Sacramento, Calif., this weekend. The lightweights will boat a varsity eight and varsity four while the heavyweights will boat a first varsity eight, second varsity eight, freshman eight and an open four.

Big Green TidbitsNational Championship Bound – The Big Green men’s heavyweight and lightweight crew teams will look to capture national championships this weekend when they travel to Sacramento, Calif., for the 2013 IRA National Championships. The heavyweights will be making their 15th consecutive appearance while the lightweight’s will challenge for a national championship for the fourth consecutive year.

A Look Back at the 2012 IRA National Championship – Dartmouth had a solid weekend of racing at the 2012 national championship. The Big Green heavyweights first varsity eight and second varsity eight raced in the third level final with the freshmen racing in the petite final, by way of the repechage. Dartmouth’s lightweights also had a fantastic weekend with the first varsity eight boat earning a silver medal after taking runner-up honors to national champion, Harvard. The second-place finish was the second straight top three finish for the Big Green at the national championship.

Key Rematches On Tap – There will be some crucial rematches on the water at Lake Natoma this weekend. On the lightweight side, the Big Green will look to improve on their third place efforts from Eastern Sprints (May 19). Dartmouth finished just behind Harvard and Yale. For the heavyweights, the winners of the third level final at Sprints, they will look to make headway against Ivy foes, Harvard, Brown, Princeton and Yale as well as Syracuse and Georgetown.

Looking To Bring Home a ‘Ship – Both the men’s heavyweight and lightweight teams will look to bring home the first national championships for either program. The lightweight varsity eight has finished in the top three in each of the last four national championships. The heavyweight varsity eight is looking for its first top five finish since taking fifth in 2010. 2010 was also the last time the first varsity eight reached the grand final.

Saving The Best For Last – The Big Green heavyweight crew team closed out the regular season in style by reclaiming the Packard Cup in its annual race with Syracuse. Dartmouth last won the Cup in 2010. This was the first Cup victory for the heavyweight crew this season. The race, annually one of the best, didn’t disappoint as the Dartmouth crew crossed the finish line less than a second ahead of the Syracuse crew.

CMax Rankings Out – Entering IRA’s the Big Green boats are some of the fastest in the nation. In this week’s CMax rankings, Dartmouth’s lightweight varsity eight is the third fastest boat, just 5.9 seconds behind the top crew from Harvard, while the heavyweight men check in at No. 19, just 19.9 seconds off Harvard who checks in as the fastest boat in the country.

Big Green Men In the Polls – The men’s heavyweight first varsity eight closed the regular-season ranked No. 16. Harvard leads the Ivy League contingent and is ranked No. 2. The men’s lightweight crew also concluded the regular-season ranked, checking in at No. 7.

Stoner to Participate in Under-23 National Selection Camp –Brandon Stoner (Sudbury, Mass.), a junior on the heavyweight crew team, will also participate in the USRowing Under-23 selection camp. Stoner is a three-year member of the heavyweight crew team and currently rows in the Big Green’s first boat.

Healey Takes Over Lightweight Program – The Big Green welcomed Sean Healey to the lightweight crew family last summer, when he was named head coach, taking over for Dan Roock. Healey spent the previous six seasons as the freshman lightweight coach at his alma mater, Cornell.

Bordeaus Return to Coach Heavyweights and Women’s Squads – Wendy Bordeau and Topher Bordeau return to coach the women and men’s heavyweight squads. Wendy is in her ninth season as head coach and is assisted by former Dartmouth rower, Anne Kennedy. Topher Bordeau is in his eighth season at Dartmouth and is assisted by former Dartmouth rower, Andy Hilton, who is in his third season.